The Pine Barrens

The Pine Barrens paints a portrait of nature and identity within New Jersey, the most densely populated state in America. A scorched wilderness stands in defiance of the encroaching megalopolis that surrounds it. Once deemed inhospitable, north and south, rural and suburban, harmony and disruption, truth and folklore, all merge and contradict around individuals who call it home.

The film, a lyrical and impressionistic documentary, paints a portrait of nature and American identity to capture the Pinelands’ surreal wonder and our symbiotic yet often destructive relationship with the natural world.

The Pine Barrens is scored live by The Ruins of Friendship Orchestra, a fusion of folk and electronic sounds, creating a layered experience that transports the viewer through this surreal landscape.